Dante's eyes opened slowly after drifting into a world he thought he had long left behind. At first, he tried to make sense of it, running through every scenario he could imagine that might explain the impossible.
Just the fact that Nyx was still alive was enough to shake his sense of reality. He had been so sure... he thought they were all gone. But as Nyx explained, she hadn't died—she had simply entered a hibernation state, biding her ti until she could awaken. So, could the others have done the sa? No... it was hard to believe, even for him.
'She's a concept, not just an entity. The Abyss itself, Absolute Darkness... She's the very essence of darkness, which is probably what kept her alive. Being a primordial has its perks, doesn't it?' he murmured, staring at the ceiling.
"The more ti passes, the stranger things get... Perhaps it's ti I start moving forward with my plan for dominion over Hell," he continued, speaking to himself as he stared out into the empty void.
"First, kill Lucifer and absorb him, reclaim a few things, then take definitive control over Hell, after that... put the Infernal World Tree on a leash. Then... I'll need to conquer the Land of Giants... Forki still needs to be dealt with, I can't let go of what happened back then. Alexander needs to be found too…"
"And then there's that organization... Mary Rose and Astaroth working together. That'll be a problem. Odds are Astaroth wants to break free of Hell with the power of the Demon Kings." He murmured, about to rise, but—
Dante paused, feeling a familiar weight resting next to him. He turned and froze.
There, lying beside him with her head on his chest, was Nagasawa.
She looked peaceful, her white hair spilling over the pillow, her breathing calm and steady, yet he felt the strong grip of her arms holding him, as if she feared he might vanish again. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He was sure he'd concealed his presence so deeply that no one, not even her, could find him.
'I suppose I got too relaxed... must've let my guard down… but then again, that's not so bad,' he thought with a smile as his hand gently rested on her head.
He observed her for a few more monts, and as if sensing his gaze, Nagasawa began to stir, her eyelids fluttering before her eyes finally opened, focusing on him. A soft smile crossed her still-drowsy face, but her expression quickly shifted, blending surprise with a hint of reproach.
"So... you thought you could just disappear again without noticing, didn't you?" she murmured, her voice carrying a soft but challenging note. "You've never been good at hiding. Stop trying."
He sighed, still surprised but unable to keep the small smile from tugging at his lips. "And you... as stubborn as ever. I didn't think anyone would notice my arrival; I should've stayed more alert."
Nagasawa raised an eyebrow, releasing him briefly to sit up on the bed. "Of course, I noticed. I always notice," she said, adjusting her hair and staring directly at him. "And stop acting like you're alone... it's starting to irritate . You could've just told us you wanted so ti to yourself, you know? We'd understand."
Dante looked away, staring at the ceiling for a mont. "You wouldn't understand," he muttered. "I just needed space... silence. I couldn't handle seeing anyone."
"Space? I get it," she said firmly. "But that doesn't an you have to keep doing this. You've been more distant these last few months. We're starting to worry, you know?" she said, looking deeply into his eyes.
She leaned in, touching his face and gently turning him to face her. "You can't keep doing this... to , or to any of us."
For a mont, he was silent, processing her words. Continue your journey with empire
He pulled her closer, sighing. "I'm sorry... it's a burden you wouldn't understand, but I'll try to talk about it more, alright?" Dante said with a small smile, stroking her hair.
"Then make understand," she replied without hesitation. "Tch, it's so annoying being so madly in love with you. Even when you're wrong, you still seem like you're right, tch, damn you," she grumbled with a nervous tone but a gentle smile.
"Pff…" Dante let out a soft laugh, leaning down to kiss the top of her head as she continued to grumble under her breath.
Nagasawa's expression softened, and she allowed herself to sink into his embrace, feeling his warmth.
"Yeah, maybe I am a bit of a bastard," he murmured with a playful smile, his gaze locked on hers. "But you chose to love like this. With all the flaws, all the stubbornness."
She huffed, but her fingers slid gently over his face, and her eyes held a deep understanding, as if she carried with her the knowledge of all the battles and secrets he tried to keep. "Just promise one thing," she whispered. "That next ti, you won't try to push away."
Dante nodded, holding her gaze. "I promise. And… I'll need you close, more than you know."
Nagasawa smiled, relaxing a bit in his arms, allowing herself to savor that closeness. "Good, because, whether you like it or not, I'm not going anywhere." She closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest again, letting the silence envelop them, and even with all the shadows surrounding him, he felt a rare sense of peace.
So ti passed with Nagasawa resting on the man she loved so deeply, and Dante simply watched her while caressing her head.
"I think it's about ti we get up, sleepyhead," he said, pinching her cheeks.
"Just five more minutes…" she murmured, but as he kept teasing her cheeks, she finally opened her eyes.
Dante watched Nagasawa sit up beside him, her movents graceful and confident as he'd always admired.
"Hmm," he stretched, feeling strangely light after that conversation.
"You should start having breakfast with us; you always wake up and teleport sowhere to keep doing whatever you're up to. You know, you should spend more ti with us," Nagasawa teased with a smile.
"Alright, alright, I'll indulge you today," he replied, smiling.
'Well, it's the least he could do. I'm next in line after all!' Nagasawa roared internally.
Together, they left the room, walking side by side to the dining hall.
As they approached, the sound of laughter and feminine voices filled the corridor.
Dante raised an eyebrow, intrigued; they usually only gathered like this when he was with them—after all, he was the pillar that united them all. But… why was he feeling like such a fool now?
'No way, right?' he thought.
Upon entering, he almost stopped in the doorway, holding back laughter at the scene before him.
Valentina, the most… brutal of them all, was laughing with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, while Morgana, with her typical elegance, animatedly told a story with exaggerated gestures that had Sara and Lyrianna in fits of laughter. Just seeing this scene made Dante's composure completely crumble.
"W-what?" he even stamred.
Eldrax, the small dragon who had evolved into a beautiful, well-endowed woman, was smiling, and Velryna joined her, wearing a genuine expression of joy. Lilith seed to roll her eyes at one of Vex's jokes, but soon a smile spread across her face as well.
"You're such a fool; a succubus has to be sexy, not silly!" she retorted, making Vex laugh even harder.
At one corner of the table, Aldria was chatting animatedly with Lyrianna and Cherry, who seed closer than he rembered, exchanging confidences and soft laughter.
Aaralyn, with a look of amused curiosity, was captivated by the story Velryna was telling, interrupting now and then to add her own sarcastic comnt, drawing laughter from everyone at the table.
He approached, and one of his wives noticed him first, interrupting the conversation with a light laugh. "Well, well, look who finally decided to join us? Seems soone rembered he has wives," Valentina's voice ca through, shifting quickly from lively to cold.
Dante raised his hands in surrender, smiling. "Alright, alright! Looks like I showed up just in ti. A gathering of all the won who make my life a little more… interesting." He emphasized the last word, prompting laughter and a few eye rolls.
Morgana gestured for him to sit. "Well, it seems today is our collective day off, so you're officially surrounded by trouble." She winked at him, and Dante settled down next to Nagasawa.
Sara grinned. "Hey, you bastard, did you really think you could hide from us?" she teased, though he knew there was more to it than just a joke.
"Yep," he replied, accepting a cup of coffee that Velryna offered him with a smile. "For a second, I thought I'd managed to, but… it seems you found anyway." He took a sip of coffee, feeling the lightness of the mont, almost forgetting what awaited him in the hellish battles ahead.
The breakfast continued with conversation—a day of peace and calm, finally, with no problems in sight.
Reviews
All reviews (0)